Olympics 2012 bosses have apologised to photographers who complained about heavy-handed treatment by security guards at the East London construction site.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) came under fire after two amateur photographers complained following a confrontation outside the site on 3 May.

Louis Berk and Steve Kessel say they were left feeling intimidated after guards demanded to see their identification.

ODA spokeswoman Laura Voyle said the guards approached the photographers ‘to investigate a report that they had been seen within the Olympic Park boundary’.

However, the pair insisted they had been on a ‘public pavement’ and had not ventured onto the Olympic site itself.

In a letter of apology to Louis dated 12 June, the ODA’s head of security David Commins wrote. ‘I am determined that we learn the lessons from this event to improve the skills of the guard force and prevent any repetition.’

Commins pledged a review of the ‘response protocols’ and the way guards approach members of the public.

And he promised to conduct a ‘review of instructions on how they will deal with issues relating to photography’.

Earlier this month the ODA told : ‘We cannot stop people photographing the site from the footpaths or any other public placeВ… that has always been our policy.’

Louis admits he feels ‘worn down’ by the complaints process and told us: ‘I do not plan to pursue this any further.’

However, he does not feel reassured, telling us: ‘What concerns me is that I still don’t know if the ODA realises that suspicion of taking photographs of their property from a ‘public place’ is not a cause for intervention by the guard force.’

Source: www.amateurphotographer.co.uk